News has leaked out from the highly secret meeting President Isaias Afwerki held with senior government, party and military officials in Massawa a couple of weeks ago. According to our sources, the session was a “bragging meeting” where the President informed the audience that the “mature foreign policy” his government is pursuing is bearing fruit as his government is now being praised by many experts and Eritrea is seen as the path to lasting regional peace.

Following the meeting, there was also a secret directive sent to all grain traders instructing them to stop storing, selling or bartering any wheat, barley or peanuts effective immediately. 

The directive states that any violation of the decree will be treated as an act of sedition resulting in harshest consequences.

The farmers are to sell their grain to the government which plans to send all the wheat to the flour mills of Asmara and Dekemhare, where there is severe shortage. The barley will be sent to Asmara Brewery (Melotti) to alleviate shortage in beer.  The peanuts are to be used as a cash crop—for export only. Farmers in the environs of Keren have been told that they are to sell their peanuts to the government at 800.00 Nakfa per quintal.

The farmers have replied that the suggested price for peanuts is unfair; that their customers, particularly new mothers and those with diabetes and “gastric acid” are relying on their supply of barley.  

The government has not been moved by these appeals.  Poor women who sell barley at the “mercato” were forcibly removed.  The local mills have been ordered to stop their operations and even people who have access to grain cannot use it. The military is using bread which, according to our source, is “hard as a rock.” White flour (“Fino”) is now selling for 3,800 Nakfa per quintal and the hyperinflationary market of Asmara has increased the city's population of beggars and citizens suffering from mental health problems.

Meanwhile, after a long absence, the president has returned to the night club scene at the Expo and has begun frequenting one of his favorite establishments, the West End, where he has been heard complaining about his military elite. And the military brass is still engaged in their favorite business—embezzling, and the black market.

One general who is not as visible as he used to be is Major General Gebrezgheir Andemariam “Wuchu,” one of Eritrea's four commanders.  Wuch is under close surveillance by the Office of National Security.  When his close friend, Samson Grezghier “the civilian general” was being hunted down for questioning on his role in the death of the young businessman, Fiqre Andemariam, Wuchu told them that his friend was in Ghindae or Massawa.  But Samson was in the environs of Ad Quala, in a monastery, and the government was able to trace him down via remote direction finder (RDF) on his mobile phone.  Samson who resisted arrest was shot, and subsequently died.